As the server situation and streaming looks to be improving, what are everyone's thoughts on the weather improvements (or lack thereof) in 2024 vs 2020? Particularly clouds depiction, density, variety, storms and dangerous weather, mist/fog/haze, etc?

From all the videos I see, the atmospheric lighting is certainly a jump up and especially the lighting in and around the clouds. And dare I say it, I see strong shades of pre-SU7 live weather (which I dearly miss) in 2024 live weather now?
 

Edited November 28, 20241 yr by lwt1971

The clouds cast shadows on themselves and are now finally solid again.

So yes, they are great.

 

But in cloud turbulence is, as far as I heard still negligble.

Edited November 28, 20241 yr by Farlis

34 minutes ago, lwt1971 said:

As the server situation and streaming looks to be improving, what are everyone's thoughts on the weather improvements (or lack thereof) in 2024 vs 2020? Particularly clouds depiction, density, variety, storms and dangerous weather, mist/fog/haze, etc?

From all the videos I see, the atmospheric lighting is certainly a jump up and especially the lighting in and around the clouds. And dare I say it, I see strong shades of pre-SU7 live weather (which I dearly miss) in 2024 live weather now?
 

One of the things I keep hearing about is the cloud breakout is much better in 2024 which with 2020 and ASFS was something that really needed improvement.  I'm looking forward to that.  

Are people also using ASFS with it's beta build and 2024? Does that impact turbulence in clouds?  That would be my preferred setup.    

Edited November 28, 20241 yr by psolk

18 minutes ago, Farlis said:

But in cloud turbulence is, as far as I heard still negligble.

The turbulence feels like it could do with a bit more tuning. Too strong over hills sometimes and yeah, too faint in clouds and wakes. Same as a lot of things, good direction, needs work.

Overall weather ambience though is stunning. Sky colours, lighting, cloud lighting / colours (especially just before sunrise and after sunset), fogs, cloud shadows / light holes, sun rays through mist, incredible. Most atmospheric skies of any sim or game ever. When they dial the turbulence / thermals in more…wow…

I use ActiveSky (Beta for 2024) in combination with RealTurb and the cloud turbulences feel much more realistic....

Just now, Silicuss said:

I use ActiveSky (Beta for 2024) in combination with RealTurb and the cloud turbulences feel much more realistic....

Thank you.  ASFS turbulence depiction alone didn't give the results you were looking for? Is there still an active or passive mode?  I believe I was using active mode with 2020.  

Weather and clouds look a lot better, more consistent.

58 minutes ago, psolk said:

Are people also using ASFS with it's beta build and 2024

The default clouds are much improved over 2020, but ASFS clouds are another step up in authenticity imho.  The same compromise has to be considered - local weather model with default clouds, or ASFS with better looking clouds but a global model.  The compromise is less than it was with 2020.  So far I have found the weather in ASFS to be more accurate than default.

2020 default clouds.

 

 

Edited November 28, 20241 yr by MrBitstFlyer

6 minutes ago, MrBitstFlyer said:

The default clouds are much improved over 2020, but ASFS clouds are another step up in authenticity imho.  The same compromise has to be considered - local weather model with default clouds, or ASFS with better looking clouds but a global model.  The compromise is less than it was with 2020.  So far I have found the weather in ASFS to be more accurate than default.

Given that ASFS basically uses the sim's core weather engine to render but based on its own data and METAR blending, I guess there's always room for improving over the default as you've found. But good to hear about 2024 default vs 2020 default. I just can't see myself using ASFS given the way it "globally" sets the weather using MSFS preset tweaking, but hey that's just me. Glad it's working out good for you!
 

Edited November 28, 20241 yr by lwt1971

3 minutes ago, lwt1971 said:

I just can't see myself using ASFS given the way it "globally" sets the weather using MSFS preset tweaking

Yes, that is the decision 🙂

I am using default weather unless it is clearly wrong when I switch over to ASFS.  Thing is I never used default weather in 2020, so that shows how much I feel 2024 default has improved.

13 minutes ago, lwt1971 said:

Given that ASFS basically uses the sim's core weather engine to render but based on its own data and METAR blending, I guess there's always room for improving over the default as you've found. But good to hear about 2024 default vs 2020 default. I just can't see myself using ASFS given the way it "globally" sets the weather using MSFS preset tweaking, but hey that's just me. Glad it's working out good for you!
 

It is different but it is also very seamless.  For example I did KEWR-KMIA and Newark had mist and rain on and off.  ASFS modelled it perfectly.  Then in Miami the weather was completely different with beautiful clear skies once I descended through the upper cloud layer.  The landing weather also updated enroute and was different when I was setting up for landing than during pre-flight.  

So it is very dynamic in that respect and the weather doesn't just look the same globally.  There are absolutely natural transitions but I may have misinterpreted what you are saying.  

 

6 minutes ago, psolk said:

So it is very dynamic in that respect and the weather doesn't just look the same globally.  There are absolutely natural transitions but I may have misinterpreted what you are saying.  

Right ok so the transitions are there, from the perspective of the aircraft I guess. But isn't one of the common problems with ASFS for example that you can't see a weather system or storm front in the distance when flying towards it?, etc (i.e. with ASFS when zooming out to the see the larger area at a global scale then the weather is effectively governed by the current "preset settings" at that point in time everywhere in the world right?).

In any case, don't wanna to divert this thread to a discussion/debate on the pros/cons of ASFS, I was more interested in default weather and improvements over 2020.
 

Edited November 28, 20241 yr by lwt1971

About the only thing that is better with 2024.

 

Pretty much everything else a huge regression, the ground textures in 2024, oh my days, such a step backwards.

 

Luckily with Rex Atmos, you can still make the atmosphere look great in 2020 and with that for me it is by far the superior sim, better graphics, more stable, better performance, better aircraft, you can actually use live weather and change the time unlike in MSFS 2024.

Worse ground textures, are you kidding?

The ground resolution is higher (even from higher up), not lower, though I have seen a few places with poor texture quality in Alaska, but I think it was bad before. They fixed most of the colors in Alaska anyhow. 

Also, due to the trees, when I load FS 2020, it now feels like I'm playing a Sim that is 8 years old. The trees in 2020 are horrid looking compared to 2024.

Edited November 29, 20241 yr by Alpine Scenery

1 hour ago, abennett said:

Pretty much everything else a huge regression, the ground textures in 2024, oh my days, such a step backwards.

Yea, as with Alpine Scenery, I don't see that. Ground textures are on the whole better and 2024 actually has a terrain surface, with rocks and ditches, unlike the flat ground in 2020. I really could not see myself wanting to go back to 2020 now.